President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) met with a delegation from the German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) this Wednesday, discussing Taiwan’s increasing defense budget and self-defense capabilities. 

GMF President and CEO Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer noted that the delegation comprises members from the U.S., France, Germany, and the U.K., which she says are all staunch supporters of Taiwan. She said gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics shaping Taiwan and the entire Indo-Pacific, and expanding transatlantic cooperation on Taiwan-related issues are the two main objectives of the visiting delegation.

Lai underlined Taiwan’s plans to develop the T-dome air defense system and the finalization of Taiwan-U.S. tariff negotiations. He expressed hope that the Economic Prosperity Partnership Dialogue (EPPD) will be used to deepen Taiwan’s cooperation with the U.S. and Europe in security, trade, and technology, thereby maintaining regional peace and stability.

Lai said, “Taiwan’s total investment in Europe over the past four years has exceeded the total investment of the past 40 years. In the future, Taiwan will continue expanding cooperation with European countries in industries such as semiconductors, AI, and ICT, as well as in supply chain resilience. I also expect the visiting guests to continue assisting Taiwan in deepening its connections with European countries.”

Referencing a GMF report analyzing the economic, military, social, and international costs that a Chinese conflict with Taiwan would incur, titled “If China Attacks Taiwan”, the president highlighted unity and cooperation as the only way to leverage collective wisdom and strength to resist authoritarian expansion.

De Hoop Scheffer said that Indo-Pacific security and stability across the Taiwan Strait are crucial to transatlantic and global security. She said it concerns economic resilience, global supply chains, and deterrence capabilities. The Taiwan issue is a global one, and relates to the credibility of the overall alliance system, de Hoop Scheffer explained. She says the key lies in strengthening partnerships on important issues, including economic security, critical infrastructure, cybersecurity, and defense-related technological innovation. The GMF president and CEO said she looks forward to deepening the partnership with Taiwan.